Front Range

Be careful anywhere you find more than about a foot of drifted snow. Look for and avoid rounded pillows of snow that may crack and slide under your weight. You are most likely to find dangerous drifts just below ridgelines or in cross-loaded gullies at upper elevations. Some drifts could be dense and textured, while others might be soft and smooth. Cracking in the surface snow is an indication to move to low-angle or wind-sheltered terrain, but you may not see any obvious signs of instability to warn you of dangerous conditions.